A Man In Uniform aka Untitled Chitney
by sully vann
Summary: Maybe Chloe and Whitney aren’t in the Superman comics, but they have to have some kinda history. I think they are gonna have a history together.
1. One

untitled chitney  
  
rated pg at most  
  
multi chapter  
  
Set after second season  
  
Summary: Maybe Chloe and Whitney aren't in the Superman comics, but they have to have some kinda history. I think they are gonna have a history together.  
  
  
  
  
  
"Hey, Chloe," Whitney said as he dropped himself heavily into a chair across from Chloe "What are you doing here? Doesn't the final issue of the Torch come out tomorrow?"  
  
"Is it scary?" Chloe asked suddenly, like she hadn't heard Whitney at all.  
  
"Graduation?" He replied, earning an affirming nod from Chloe. "As hell," he answered.  
  
"You knew where you were going as soon as school was over. You were lucky." Chloe said dejectedly.  
  
"First of all, you KNOW life wasn't all peaches and cream for me after graduation, especially once you found me at the dam and climbed up there with me." Whitney trailed off, both of them knowing where he was going. "Also, you DO know where you're going. I hear you've been accepted to UNY and if I know you like I think I do, you'll find plenty of mysteries in New York. I think you're going to be fine, Chloe." Whitney reminded Chloe of all she was capable of, including reaching him when he thought he was unreachable after his Dad died a few years back.  
  
"I know I can handle Metropolis, because I grew up there. What do I really know about New York?" Chloe voiced her worries.  
  
"The Planet is the biggest paper in Kansas. With three years of interning there, plus all the work you've done on the Torch, papers will be knocking over each other to get to you. Just watch, young grasshopper." Whitney said, trying to joke Chloe into a better mood.  
  
"Well," Chloe smiled "They might not like it if the last issue of the paper with me as editor-in-chief never made it to the printer." Chloe picked up her shoulder bag and cast her gaze on Whitney. "You coming to graduation on Wednesday?"  
  
"Can't. I've only got a two week leave and it's up tomorrow." Whitney answered, standing to get a refill. "But I know whatever path you choose; you will make it your own." He finished, putting his arm around her shoulder and squeezing it in reassurance.  
  
"And you be careful out in the wild frontier. I may even be able to write a book about you one day!" As they walked towards the front of the building. "I'll pray for you." Chloe said.  
  
"Same here. Good luck, Sullivan." Whitney replied.  
  
"Luck? Who needs luck?" Chloe said, tossing another grin at Whitney as they parted ways at the counter.  
  
~end part one 


	2. Two

"Chloe Sullivan." A young woman answered her phone as she exited a subway car.  
  
"Your story about the Navy memorial touched me."  
  
Chloe laughed. "Thanks, Whitney." She smiled, knowing Whitney had to want something. They emailed each other about every other week, but the last time Whitney has used his precious allotted phone time on Chloe was when he couldn't get a hold of his mom and was worried. "I appreciate that. Now, what do you want?"  
  
"As much as I do really want to catch up with you, you've caught me. I have a favor to ask."  
  
"Enough with the sugar coating. What is it and is it illegal?" Chloe replied snarkily as she climbed up the stairs to her apartment.  
  
"There is going to be this huge military banquet next month in New York. I want to go, but I don't want to go alone."  
  
"And none of the tough Army girls want a pretty date like you? I'm shocked." Chloe's teasing tone undercut her words.  
  
"You're funny." Whitney deadpanned. "So, will you?"  
  
"I'm sorry, but I wasn't asked to do anything," Chloe replied assertively.  
  
"You know if it was Superman asking you that you would say yes in a second."  
  
"Yes, the best way to get me to do something for you is to insult me." Chloe admonished.  
  
"Chloe Sullivan, I would be ever so honored if you would escort me to the military ball next month." Whitney said. "And you better appreciate that, because I'm not planning on sending out an engraved invitation." He laughed.  
  
"You've got yourself a date." Chloe answered. "Just be glad I live alone. My Dad was always pretty hard on my dates. Not that I have many dates-" Chloe trailed off, remembering the pain that still held a slight piece of her heart.  
  
"Get over it, Sullivan." Whitney reverted back to his old high school ways.  
  
"Yes, I am a loser. But, I'm your loser date, so YOU get over it!" Chloe chuckled. "So, are you planning on telling me a when, where, and our mode of transportation?"  
  
~end part two 


	3. Three

"Thanks, Cassie. This means a lot to me." Chloe said as a older woman clipped her hair tightly into place.  
  
"Oh, honey, as clichéd as this sounds, you're like the daughter I never had going to the prom I never went too." She replied as Chloe turned and examined herself in her taffeta gown.  
  
"So you're living vivaciously through me?" Chloe asked as she threw her chap stick into her purse.  
  
"Pretty much. But I'm also rooting that this Whitney can sweep you off your feet---because I know you'll blow his socks off in that dress!" Cassie retorted as she followed Chloe into her living room.  
  
"Whitney's going to be here soon." Chloe stated, staring at her immobile front door.  
  
"Thank you, Captain Obvious."  
  
"I feel nervous. I guess I just really hope I don't get my period in this thing."  
  
"Or maybe you might like Whitney?"  
  
"That's what I was thinking awhile after I accepted, you know---" Chloe paused to sit down, being careful not to mess up her dress. "I think it's more the feeling of being asked, and getting all pretty---but hey, he IS a Marine. I'm a sucker for men in uniform."  
  
"And if he doesn't work out, the half of the rest of them will be in uniform, will they not?" Cassie reassured Chloe.  
  
"Right---" Chloe replied as a knock sounded on her door. Cassie grinned as Chloe closed her eyes, gathering all her strength to make it through this evening---the shoes Cassie picked out were killers.  
  
Chloe opened her eyes, grinned back, and teetered to the door. She flung it open to find Whitney Fordman in all his glory.  
  
Chloe's grin grew a little as Whitney grinned and grabbed her into a hug, knocking off her balance. He scrambled to catch her as she began to fall, succeeding with pizzazz.  
  
"Those are HUGE shoes, Chloe," Whitney replied, easily amused and showing it. "And the dress is beautiful---but so---not you---" Whitney finished.  
  
"Blame HER!" Chloe mock-whined, pointing to Cassie who feigned shock, then made her way over to Whitney.  
  
"I'm Cassie. I work with Chloe, and I am also her suppressed stylist, so you can thank me when she wows all your Marine buddies." Cassie introduced herself, extending her hand.  
  
"Somehow, I can see how you two became friends." Whitney replied, shaking her hand firmly. "But Chloe does look wonderful---" Whitney said, wrapping an arm around her bare shoulders. "Nicely done, Cassie."  
  
"I've got to grab my wrap and then we can hit it." Chloe replied, secretly hoping Cassie would get the hint she was sending her telepathically. Unfortunately, Whitney intercepted her thought.  
  
"Cassie, I think she wants to converse with you in the other room." Whitney grinned. Chloe's mouth opened slightly and Whitney laughed again, a cavernous and rumbling laugh.  
  
"I could back out now, you know." Chloe said in reply to Whitney's cockiness.  
  
"C'mon, Chloe let me help you find your wrap." Cassie interrupted, trying to fend off Chloe's instant defense mechanism---rudeness.  
  
"It's ok, Cassie. I know she only does it because she loves me."  
  
Cassie winced, hoping Whitney knew the verbal lashing he was about to get.  
  
"I hate you, but you know me so well." Chloe replied, smiling and completely flooring Cassie, who followed the yellow haze into her bedroom, shocked at the affect this man had on Chloe's snarkiness.  
  
-end part three 


	4. Four

A few hushed words of encouragement mixed with bewilderment later, Chloe was being escorted down her apartment's stairs by Whitney, looking the best she had ever seen him.  
  
She remembered what Cassie had told her with a flushed face. "Just be a girl, Chloe. Don't try to be anything your not. He obviously wants to hang out with you tonight, not the super-crazy-heart-of-stone girl all good reporters can be."  
  
"Take-no-prisoners mode if officially off." Chloe reminded herself quietly while she stole a look at Whitney.  
  
"Yeah, I think I look good too." He said, catching her eyeing him.  
  
"I was going to comment, but you've just lost your chance of ego inflation." Chloe retorted as she slid into the gleaming pickup truck she wasn't all to surprised to see. "So, how many more days until this baby gets wrecked like the rest of them?" Chloe teased.  
  
"I fully blame all my incidents with cars on the meteors of Smallville. I'm a perfectly fine driver." Whitney replied, sticking his keys into the ignition and causing the car to roar to life. "Besides, who'd want to risk running a great dress like that by getting in an accident?" Whitney said snarkily.  
  
"Nice, Fordman. I'm glad to see being in the military hasn't stunted the reasons half the population of Smallville was in love with you before you shipped out."  
  
"Are you hinting that you had a crush?"  
  
"I never! Did you?"  
  
"Oh, come off it. You know I loved Lana---" Whitney started, but Chloe interrupted.  
  
"Ok, sore spot. Move on!"  
  
"I was saying that you KNOW I loved Lana, but I always wondered what one night with you would be like. Probably a lot more eventful than a night at the Talon."  
  
"Always is---and tonight's your chance. Ravish me and I'll show you the crazy side to me."  
  
"You mean the crazy side isn't writing editorials that almost got you beheaded in high school, falling out of windows, trying to track down Ben Affleck when you heard he was staying in a hotel a few blocks away from your apartment---" Whitney laughed.  
  
"Ok, I was trying to be all sexy like Cassie said, but it's not working."  
  
"I like you just the way you are, Sullivan."  
  
"Good, 'cause that's who you're getting. But seriously, I'd like to get to the dance before this dress starts to fade. Can we speed up just a bit?" Chloe asked, watching the scenery pass by slowly.  
  
"You asked for it!" Whitney said, gunning the car and sending them rocketing off.  
  
-end part four 


	5. Five

"Whoa---big place." Chloe looked the building up and down, barely able to tell where it stopped and night began.  
  
"It'd better be. Do you realize how many men, plus family and dates, are going to be in there?"  
  
"So many men---so little time!" Chloe grinned as Whitney hooked arms with her and led her up the stairs.  
  
"And you're just so lucky to be with the most handsome one of them all." Whitney smiled.  
  
"Whatever mirror you've been talking too has been lying!" Chloe retorted as they checked their coats.  
  
Whitney smirked at Chloe and she grinned back coyly.  
  
"I guess this uniform IS a few steps up from a letterman jacket."  
  
"I hate that jacket so much!" Whitney replied, earning a look from Chloe.  
  
"What are you talking about?" Chloe inquired as Whitney looked slightly uncomfortable.  
  
"A few years ago, it was a permanent fixture in your wardrobe."  
  
"That jacket was a symbol of who I was, not what I DID, for so long. It literally defined me. For awhile, I never thought I'd escape 'Poor-dadless- jock-turned-Boy Scout' Whitney."  
  
"Well, forget that Whitney. Tonight is all about the Whitney you've become. The one who is getting honored at this ball thing, and that I only agreed to go with because I thought I'd have fun."  
  
"Got it---no moping."  
  
Whitney and Chloe exchanged smiles as Whitney gave a man in a white tux two tickets.  
  
"Remind me to write a check for my ticket when we get back to my apartment." Chloe said as they entered the large room with a live band.  
  
"You're my date, I'm supposed to pay---and led in any dancing. Let's go!" Whitney grinned as they both got swept up in the already dancing crowd.  
  
-end 


End file.
